Just End Already!!

Is it just me or is the month of January taking forever?!? I have been dreading this particular month for about a year now and it has more than met my expectations. I think this is the **longest** month ever!! Aaaaahhhhh!!! FYI-I've started to get on Michael about the lack of pictures being sent home so hopefully I can get some new ones soon to post.

Piglet's Concessions...

While in Iraq, the MTT team has acquired a pet and they have decided to name her "Dirty Girl". She probably isn't the cleanest of dogs, but she is a great distraction from everything else going on. I know its good for Michael to get to have a surrogate (of sorts) for Miss Piglet. She just looks so sweet and I feel bad for the life she is going to have.

So Piglet and I had a long chat. Like we do everyday when I don't get to talk to other human beings...and we decided to send Dirty Girl a Valentine's Day gift. Piggy even helped me pick out which treats to send her. I think Piglet's main motivation was to make sure that Dirty Girl gave her daddy some extra lovin's since she isn't able to do it right now. In case you can't tell I really think I'm starting to lose it!! Just come home already!!!!

Here are some pictures of Piglet "inspecting" the gift:

She wasn't all that thrilled that I wasn't opening the bag and giving her the treats. In fact, she looked a little peaved that they went into the box and got taped shut. We're ALL making concessions now!!

Our Exciting Weekend

So changing the sheets on our bed is a big ordeal. Since the rooms are so small in base housing, we had to put our bed in the corner of the room which makes the "changing of the sheets" an even bigger occurence. Ever since Bailey was a kitten she has been fascinated by this process. It's like a form of crack for her (??). If you look at her while she is up there you can see that she gets that "crazy" look in her eyes! It cracks me up though. I can go and do some other project and come back 15 minutes later to her twirling around on the bed by herself.
Here is Pigdog doing "cute-sit" and patiently waiting for me to finish playing with Bailey. She isn't allowed on the bed, for the most part, mainly because she can't get up by herself (its too high for her little legs). It's really funny to watch her try though...and people wonder why we don't have kids yet :)

More pics of the kids...

These are more for Michael than anyone else... Some new pictures of our "kids". Bailey was playing with her mouse and then wouldn't get out of one of the boxes that is going to go to Iraq!! Piglet was just being cute :)

Lunch with Ollie

I just got back from a lunch hosted by Col Oliver North and Fox News. They hosted it for the wives of 1st Battalion 6th Marines. Col North was very friendly and gave a very moving speech that was able to get most of us teary-eyed (not that its hard to do at this point!). His War Stories will be featuring the Marines and wives of 1/6 and will air on Feb. 11th at 8pm. He wanted to show America what goes on while the men are away--that we put our time in too!! Even more special was that Teal Moran was able to be there. She is PCS'ing this week so she was back in town. Both her and her husband are Aggies and Dan is currently in San Antonio re-couping after being hit by a 2nd IED in October.

Not the most flattering picure, but the only one I was able to get with him:

Col North signing pictures...most of the pictures were blurry b/c he kept moving.
During his speech:

No Luck

Seriously...if it wasn't for bad luck with the military, we would have no luck at all. Yep, Michael got extended. There are countless questions that are in the air right now. I really have nothing good to say about the military right now so I'm opting to say nothing at all.

Prayers

After the President's speech last night the wives in Michael's parent unit (including me) were contacted by the Key Volunteer Network. 1/6 is being extended 60-90 days. What this exactly means for Michael and me is not completely clear right now. If his "parent-unit" decides to make the guys re-attach to the battalion after finishing their job on the MTT team, then he will have to be there past the April time-frame. I feel as though I've been kicked in the stomach and I'm asking for anyone/everyone to say a quick prayer that Michael gets to come home on schedule. To think that 3 months in I could be starting completely over is overwhelming to say the least.

Christmas Quilt

So here it is! The Christmas present from my sister-in-law, Mandy! The picture does not do it justice either. She sent a pillow over to Michael that had a wedding picture on it so he could be a part of the gift as well! It truly is one of the most beautiful and most thoughtful gifts I have ever received...and what a great time to have it b/c I can snuggle with Michael every night now! Thank you Mandy!!
Piglet and Bailey didn't want to be left out of the pictures so they kept jumping up on the quilt to be the center of attention. Piglet got groomed yesterday so she looks more like her "Pigdalgo" self. (she is a real fast runner, much like Hidalgo...thus, Pigdalgo). We know, we're odd when it comes to our pets!

Back to Normal

...and just for grins here are some pictures of our bebes. They were both very glad to be back in a normal routine! Bailey couldn't even wait for me to unpack to smell everything! In the bottom picture, this is what they do whenever I am on the computer...they sack out in their respective beds. I am so thankful that Bailey made a full recovery!!!

...and a Happy New Year too!

New Year's Eve wasn't near as bad as I thought it was going to be. The day I got back from Wa, the Christmas present Michael had sent me arrived. It was a new digital camera (since my old one wouldn't turn on, hence zero pictures from Christmas)! So, I went out to Sara's house to ring in the new year and then today I went over to spend some time with the Elder's and watch the Tennessee vs Penn State game. Joe made some great chili and we even popped some champagne! Unfortunatley, the Vols were unsuccessful and we're not even going to mention the Aggies loss from late last week (what in the heck happened??!) Here are some pics from New Year's Eve and today:

I got to wear the new sweater that my parent's gave me for Christmas!

This is Deb (she's from Malta...and has really red hair) and Jennifer (Deb's husband had duty and Jennifer is Raymond's wife):

Here is Raymond and Sara looking at pictures on the wall:
Joe popping some champagne:
...and Nancy and little Elder:

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Okay, okay...enough with the chastising over email. I realize I've been a bad blogger. I ended up getting back to WA for Christmas and had a great time with my family. Getting to see Tay take some steps, the Baby Girl be her "rock star" self, and the Big Girl get into everything was a whole lot of fun! It wasn't as much fun as if Michael had been there, but nonetheless my family did their best. My sis-in-law, Mandy, made an UNBELIEVABLE quilt for Michael and me. Once it gets here (I had to have it shipped) I'll post some pictures. It made me cry on Christmas morning...but it was a good cry! Ryan also got us an indoor/outdoor thermometer that I have been dreaming about for the past year (am I my father's daughter or what!) Michael was able to call and chat for a good while and it was nice to get to spend some time with him even if it was on the phone. His email has been up only 1 day the past 23 days, so email communication has been essentially non-existent. We're making it though, and we're 3 months in now!!! Whoop!!